Information Collection Request Submitted to OMB for Review and Approval; Comment Request; SmartWay Transport Partnership (Renewal)

Topics:  SmartWay

Courtney Kerwin
Environmental Protection Agency
17 November 2017

[Federal Register Volume 82, Number 221 (Friday, November 17, 2017)]
[Notices]
[Pages 54338-54339]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2017-24971]


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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[EPA-HQ-OAR-2007-0482-0012; FRL--9969-76-OEI]


Information Collection Request Submitted to OMB for Review and 
Approval; Comment Request; SmartWay Transport Partnership (Renewal)

AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The Environmental Protection Agency has submitted an 
information collection request (ICR), ``SmartWay Transport 
Partnership'' (EPA ICR No. 2265.03, OMB Control No. 2060-0663) to the 
Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review and approval in 
accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act. This is a reinstatement of 
the ICR, which was currently approved through July 31, 2017. Public 
comments were previously requested via the Federal Register on July 7, 
2017 during a 60-day comment period. This notice allows for an 
additional 30 days for public comments. A fuller description of the ICR 
is given below, including its estimated burden and cost to the public. 
An agency may not conduct or sponsor and a person is not required to 
respond to a collection of information unless it displays a currently 
valid OMB control number.

DATES: Additional comments may be submitted on or before December 18, 
2017.

ADDRESSES: Submit your comments, referencing Docket ID Number EPA-HQ-
OAR-2007-0482-0012 to (1) EPA online using www.regulations.gov (our 
preferred method), by email to martz.kathleen@epa.gov, or by mail to:

[[Page 54339]]

EPA Docket Center, Environmental Protection Agency, Mail Code 28221T, 
1200 Pennsylvania Ave. NW., Washington, DC 20460, and (2) OMB via email 
to oira_submission@omb.eop.gov. Address comments to OMB Desk Officer 
for EPA.
    EPA's policy is that all comments received will be included in the 
public docket without change including any personal information 
provided, unless the comment includes profanity, threats, information 
claimed to be Confidential Business Information (CBI) or other 
information whose disclosure is restricted by statute.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:  Kathleen Martz, U.S. Environmental 
Protection Agency, 2000 Traverwood Drive, S-68, Ann Arbor, MI 48105; 
telephone number: 734-214-4335; Fax: 734-214-4906; email address: 
martz.kathleen@epa.gov.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Supporting documents, which explain in 
detail the information that the EPA will be collecting, are available 
in the public docket for this ICR. The docket can be viewed online at 
www.regulations.gov or in person at the EPA Docket Center, WJC West, 
Room 3334, 1301 Constitution Ave. NW., Washington, DC. The telephone 
number for the Docket Center is 202-566-1744. For additional 
information about EPA's public docket, visit http://www.epa.gov/dockets.
    Abstract: SmartWay is a voluntary program that focuses on 
increasing efficiency and lowering air pollution generated by goods 
movement that is open to organizations that own, operate, or contract 
with fleet operations, including truck, rail, barge, air and multi-
modal carriers, logistics companies, and shippers. Organizations that 
do not operate fleets, but that are working to strengthen the freight 
industry, such as industry trade associations, state and local 
transportation agencies and environmental groups, also may join as 
SmartWay affiliates. All organizations that join SmartWay are asked to 
provide EPA with information as part of their SmartWay registration to 
annually benchmark their transportation-related operations and improve 
the environmental performance of their freight activities.
    A company joins SmartWay when it completes and submits a SmartWay 
Excel-based tool (``reporting tool'') to EPA. The data outputs from the 
submitted tool are used by partners and SmartWay in several ways. 
First, the data provides confirmation that SmartWay partners are 
meeting established objectives in their Partnership Agreement. The 
reporting tool outputs enable EPA to assist SmartWay partners as 
appropriate, and to update them with environmental performance and 
technology information that empower them to improve their efficiency. 
This information also improves EPA's knowledge and understanding of the 
environmental and energy impacts associated with goods movement, and 
the effectiveness of both proven and emerging strategies to lessen 
those impacts.
    In addition to requesting annual freight transportation-related 
data, EPA may ask its SmartWay partners for other kinds of information 
which could include opinions and test data on the effectiveness of new 
and emerging technology applications, sales volumes associated with 
SmartWay-recommended vehicle equipment and technologies, the reach and 
value of partnering with EPA through the SmartWay Partnership, and 
awareness of the SmartWay brand. In some instances, EPA might query 
other freight industry representatives (not just SmartWay partners), 
including trade and professional associations, nonprofit environmental 
groups, energy and community organizations, and universities, and a 
small sampling of the general public.
    Form Numbers: None.
    Respondents/affected entities: Private and public organizations 
that join SmartWay Transport Partnership; freight industry 
representatives who engage in activities related to the SmartWay 
Partnership; and representative samplings of consumers in the general 
public.
    Respondent's obligation to respond: Voluntary.
    Estimated number of respondents: 4,605.
    Frequency of response: Once, on occasion and annually.
    Total estimated burden: 13,224 hours.
    Total estimated cost: $909,828, which includes no capital or 
operation and maintenance costs.
    Changes in the Estimates: There is an increase of 1,720 hours in 
the total estimated respondent partner burden compared with the ICR 
currently approved by OMB. This increase reflects the following 
adjustments and program changes:
    (1) Adjustments increase associated with increased interest in 
SmartWay, and thus, an increase in new annual respondents, as well as 
robust program retention practices, leading to increased number of 
existing respondent partners reporting annually, increase in the number 
of applications for the SmartWay Excellence Awards and the affiliate 
challenge annually;
    (2) Program change increase associated with the new SmartWay 
Affiliate Program and new requirements under SmartWay Tractor and 
Trailer program; and,
    (3) Adjustment decrease due to EPA's change in policy for 
submitting Awards materials electronically, rather than by mail.

Courtney Kerwin,
Acting Director, Collection Strategies Division.
[FR Doc. 2017-24971 Filed 11-16-17; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 6560-50-P